


Message Received

by Kokiriforester



Category: Storm Hawks (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Redemption, Shame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 13:44:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21476983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kokiriforester/pseuds/Kokiriforester
Summary: The Dark Ace creates an internal conflict within himself after the events of Episode 39: Energy Crisis. Master Cyclonis calls for him when he returns to Cyclonia to discuss his fate.
Kudos: 6





	Message Received

**Author's Note:**

> This is a re-post of my fanfiction.net story from 2016 and because I plan to post on here more I'd like to share my first story! I've come a long way since then so I have improved it slightly but I hope you enjoy it!

He dreaded the summons from her. He knew it was inevitable that she would find out; so why did he do it? It was the spur of the moment… He wasn't even thinking straight! That crystal was..!

The crystal.

He sighs and runs his fingers through his jet black hair. He knew all that power was too good to be true. She's not going to take that as an excuse. He knows he went against what he swore to - but he couldn't just stride in there with his head held high when he knew he did something terribly wrong.

"What's she going to do with me?" he asks himself.

He's been her sworn second in command for her whole life… he wasn't going to break the bond they had, just from his incompetence! If anything, he should be the one grovelling at her feet begging for forgiveness. What is she going to think after his little episode? He knew she would be hurt, angry and vengeful. He knows she's not going to let this go just after an apology.

No.

She'll want revenge. He knows that she's going to display her anger right in front of him; that hot feeling of shame and guilt flowing right through his body. He can't run away from it because the situation could only get worse.

What if she's finally given up on him? What if she just leaves him to fend for himself because he can't protect her well enough? His last few missions have been failures and he knows that he loses a small amount of her trust every time.

He dismisses the Talon messenger from his bedroom doorway and his long fingers tangle their way through his dark locks once again.

"Pull yourself together!" he yells, as he stand up and strides out of his quarters with his shoulders straight and his chin raised.

He is not going to wallow in his conscience, not ever standing up for himself and not taking responsibility like a man! He is the one who defeated the original Storm Hawks single-handedly and the one who took the open hand of the Cyclonians to be recruited after he was finally appreciated for everything he did!

"I'm the Dark Ace, damn it!" He roars, his voice echoing throughout the hallways of the upper citadel, her chamber just in his reach…

His strong and confident physique wavers as he stands at the doors to her throne…

He may have the strength but she has the knowledge… and knowledge is power. By gosh is she powerful; he could only dream of how much power she holds over such a large proportion of this world. He always found it quite fascinating with how she deals with it. The power makes her strong; he'll never know what it's like to be as powerful as her. She knows exactly what he did, there's no point in hiding it.

Will he walk into there with his head held high, ready for whatever she gives to him?

Or will he shuffle his way in like a dog with its tail between its legs, begging for forgiveness?

He takes a deep breath and knocks on one of the tall doors, letting the reverb echo against his ears and down the corridor. There is no reply.

Before he can knock again, the doors creak open.

He doesn't have time to think.

He walks slowly into the entrance of her chamber. The faint sound of clicking resonates from the opposite side of the room. As he stops at the bottom of the steps to her machine on its podium, he sees her silhouette in the near distance. He decides on the first thought he had; to take the whole ordeal on the chin.

After a long and low bow, the Dark Ace straightens his back and squares his shoulders. His eyes adjust from the darkness as she steps forward towards him. When she gets in his sight, he kneels down on one knee; a fist over his heart.

She doesn't say a word for a whole minute. He almost decides to stand up and look at her but he's too frightened of seeing the anger, if not, disappointed look on her face. It would break him for sure. He didn't think it would affect him… But by goddess was he wrong.

"Take a message."

Master Cyclonis' words pierces through the silent room and he feels like he's being hit by a bus ten times over. He tilts his head up a little, but not enough to be able to see her; just enough so she can see his hesitation. He puts his head back down.

Her footsteps echo as she circles around him like a lioness circling her prey. This is exactly what it's like. He does not know when she's going to strike, if at all. He hears her soft but much feared voice again.

"Stand," she commands without warning. The Dark Ace stumbles to his feet and looks down. She continues.

"I wondered at the time whether it was a joke or prank made by the Talons… which is what I usually expect. But when they told me they were serious," she looks away and smiles in mock amusement, "Well I didn't believe it! I mean, my very own Commander telling me to bugger off?!" As she says the last few words, her smile drops and she narrows her eyes.

The Dark Ace's reaction is almost instant. He closes his eyes and hangs his head low.

She turns around as if speaking to someone behind her.

"And he has the right mind to come back? Even after such insolence…" she drawls sarcastically. He doesn't even dare to look up. She walks away into the room just behind her and walks back out with a crystal that he recognises as a Thunderbolt; the crystal the previous Master Cyclonis gave him as a gift after he betrayed his old squadron. As he hears her footsteps come back into the room, he looks up and squares his shoulders again.

The Master sighs as if extremely disappointed. The Dark Ace was expecting her to release all her pent up anger from all the failures that happened this week; but no. She walks down the small steps and looks up at him.

"This crystal wasn't given to you for no reason, Dark Ace. Do you know why it was given to you?" she asks quizzically. He looks at it but closes his eyes and nods his head slowly, "It was in gratitude of the dedication you showed Grandmother. Now tell me Dark Ace, do you think that same dedication has been shown to me?"

His eyes stay closed. "No, Master."

Her voice becomes sterner. "Do you think you've performed to the best of your ability for this empire? For me?"

His face screws up a little from the inevitable feeling of shame. "N-no, Master."

Cyclonis takes another step towards him and holds the Thunderbolt crystal practically under his nose. Her next words pierce straight through him.

"Do you deserve this?"

"I-I don't know… Master," he stumbles.

"Do you want this?"

He stays silent. She can almost hear the cogs turning and ticking in his head.

"Yes…"

"Then show me you want it." Her eyes soften as his open to look straight down at her. "Prove to me that here is where your heart lies because if you show me that you want it but disobey me again then I'll treat it as an act of treason… I don't want to have to do that to my top commander. I honestly wouldn't think Grandmother would approve of that either."

Master Cyclonis makes a small smile. "Look at what we could have if the whole of Cyclonia worked together to regain our terra's legacy?" Her face begins to light up as she walks back up the steps to her podium, "We can rule this world again with an iron fist and we can be unstoppable!"

There's a small silence in which the Dark Ace has stared up at his master with a glimmer in his eyes. She continues with a serious expression on her face.

"All I need is a promise. A promise that will be kept."

The aching feeling of being untrusted by Cyclonis dulls in his mind as the opportunity of redemption arises. He immediately kneels on one knee before her again but this time with a newfound motivation.

"Master Cyclonis, I honestly cannot justify my actions to you as they were unspeakable and unnecessary; I beg you for forgiveness. I promise to stay by your side forever." The Dark Ace finally speaks up.

Satisfied with the outcome of the situation, Cyclonis holds out the crystal in front of her for the Dark Ace to collect it.

She turns around…

"Good. We have lots of work to do."

He stands. Her fingers find their designated positions on the keys...


End file.
